1. Field of the Invention
This application relates generally to a method and apparatus for reducing contagions on an object and, more specifically, to a method and apparatus for suitably exposing an object to be used in a substantially-sterile environment to a disinfectant, which can optionally be a sterilizing agent.
2. Description of Related Art
Sterile, or at least substantially-sterile environments are common in the medical field for treating patients with minimal risk of infection. To avoid exposing patients in such environments to infectious organisms medical personnel working therein are required to take precautionary measures. All personnel are required to wash thoroughly before entering the environment, and wear items of clothing such as surgical scrubs that have been decontaminated.
Other objects such as medical equipment can also be contaminated with infectious organisms, and can pose a threat to introduce such organisms into the sterile environment. Bedding, medical devices, and virtually all other objects brought into a sterile environment must undergo sterilization procedures to minimize the risk of infection to patients. More recently, portable electronic devices such as tablet computers, for example, have become useful within sterile environments such as an operating room during a surgical procedure. Pulse oximeters, keyboards, and any other object that is often touched by hospital personnel or patients can also provide a means for transmitting infectious organisms when not properly and consistently decontaminated.
The wide array of electronic devices such as tablet computers and notebook computers, and medical devices, for example, that require decontamination pose additional problems when being considered for use in a medical environment. Their cases include apertures, seams, internal compartments and a variety of other structures where infectious organisms can hide from a liquid disinfectant or sterilizing agent, which is often topically applied as part of a decontamination process. Further, liquid disinfectants must be thoroughly applied, and remain wet long enough to achieve the desired level of decontamination, which makes the decontamination process time consuming, and unlikely to be correctly performed.